101°F
weather icon Clear
Las Vegas, NV
Military

Air Force, hit by shortage, doesn’t plan to recall retired pilots

An F-15 Strike Eagle takes off from Nellis Air Force Base for training flight on Wednesday, July 26, 2017, in Las Vegas. Bizuayehu Tesfaye Las Vegas Review-Journal @bizutesfaye
More Stories
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks to reporters at the Pentagon, July 16, 2025, in Washin ...
Pete Hegseth belongs to an archconservative church network. Here’s what to know
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth prepares to give a television interview outside the White House ...
Hegseth reposts video on social media featuring pastors saying women shouldn’t be allowed to vote
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attends an event to mark National Purple Heart Day in the East R ...
US Air Force to deny retirement pay to transgender service members being separated from the service
Sgt. Quornelius Radford, a suspect in the shooting of five soldiers at Fort Stewart, is escorte ...
Soldiers hailed as heroes for tackling armed assailant at Georgia Army base
The Associated Press
October 22, 2017 - 3:46 pm
 

WASHINGTON — The Air Force says it doesn’t plan on using new flexibility under an executive order signed by President Donald Trump to address a pilot shortage by recalling retired pilots.

Ann Stefanek, the chief of Air Force media operations, said Sunday the added power provided by Trump is appreciated but the Air Force does not “currently intend to recall retired pilots.”

Trump last Friday signed the order to address what the Pentagon says is a serious pilot shortage.

A Pentagon spokesman says the Air Force is currently short about 1,500 pilots, and had indicated that the Secretary of Defense would allow the Secretary of the Air Force to recall up to 1,000 retired pilots for up to three years.

Under current law, the Air Force is limited to recalling 25 pilots.

MOST READ
Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST
A military parade commemorating the Army's 250th anniversary and coinciding with President Dona ...
Military parade barrels through DC with tanks, troops and 21-gun salute
By Lolita C. Baldor and Michelle L. Price Associated Press

At times, President Trump saluted as troops marched past the reviewing stand. But attendance appeared to fall far short of early predictions that as many as 200,000 people would attend the festival and parade.

MORE STORIES